The present invention relates to tool accessories which facilitate the carrying tools. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tool accessory which is capable of being secured to a cordless tool, particularly a cordless power tool having a handle member with a lower flanged end, in order to provide the tool with means to enable it to be suspended from a holding device. In particular, the present invention relates to a tool holder adaptor which is secured to the handle of a tool, such as a cordless power drill such that the tool can be suspended from a belt clip hook member.
The prior art is replete with tool accessories designed to retain one or more tools. Most common among such tool accessories are tool belts, provided with cloth, leather or steel loops which depend from the belt and which function to retain a variety of tools. Tool belts have inherent limitations, a primary limitation being that the structure and non-adjustability of the loops can make it difficult to extract or insert tools of varying size.
More recently, tool belt clips have been developed which are removably attachable to a tool belt or regular belt. Some of these tool belt clips are designed solely to carry a particular tool. Other tool belt clips are provided with a hook member from which a tool can be suspended. An example of such a tool belt clip is the xe2x80x9cTool Belt Tote Devicexe2x80x9d, which comprises a belt clip, a swivel element and a swivelable hook member, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449 issued May 16, 2000 to Peter P. Kahn, the inventor of the present invention. The entire disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,449 is hereby incorporated by reference.
A drawback to the typical tool belt clip having a hook member is that not all tools can be suspended from the hook member. Tools having an attached loop or a similar enclosed opening can be suspended simply from a hook member by introducing the hook or enclosed opening over the end of the hook member. Suspension from a U-shaped hook member of certain other tools also can be achieved when the tool is constructed with a xe2x80x9cnotchxe2x80x9d, indentation, depression or similar cavity of sufficient depth such that the xe2x80x9cnotchxe2x80x9d can be guided within the xe2x80x9cUxe2x80x9d and is retained therein by the opposing sides of the xe2x80x9cnotchxe2x80x9d. Tools that have neither feature are difficult, if not impossible, to suspend from hook member.
Despite the teachings of the prior art, a need still exists for a device which can be secured to a tool, particular a cordless power tool, that enables the power tool to be suspended from a hook member of a tool belt clip. Such a device should be capable of being quickly and easily secured to the cordless tool. Such a device also should enable the cordless tool to be quickly and safely suspended from a hook member of a tool belt clip. In addition, such as device should be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, but be of durable construction.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which is securable to a cordless tool in such a manner that the cordless tool can be suspended from a tool belt clip hook member.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which can be secured quickly and easily to a cordless tool.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which will enable a cordless tool to be quickly and safely suspended from a hook member of a tool belt clip.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cordless tool holder adaptor which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and is of durable construction.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part of the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following specification or may be learned by practice of the invention.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing a cordless tool holder adaptor comprising a conventional cable tie having a first locking head end and a second tail end and two ball elements, each of the ball elements having a centrally disposed aperture of a diameter sufficient to receive either end of the cable tie. The tail end of the cable tie is introduced through the locking head to form a collar which is placed over the base of the handle of a cordless tool. The two ball elements are aligned to the center on either side of the handle and the tail end is pulled tightly about the handle. In this manner, the handle of the cordless tool is provided a supplemental flange. The handle of the cordless tool is placed within a U-shaped hook member such that the two ball elements are situated on the side of the hook member opposite that of the lower end of the handle, thereby suspending the cordless tool from the hook member.